


Right Back Where We Started

by kittensgabi12



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bisexual Rey (Star Wars), Canto Bight, Eventual Poe Dameron/Finn, Eventual Rey/Kaydel Ko Connix, F/F, F/M, Finn Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), General Poe Dameron - Freeform, Good Friend Rose Tico, Gray Jedi Rey (Star Wars), Jedi Finn (Star Wars), M/M, Poe Needs A Hug, Post-Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rey & Rose Tico Friendship, Rey Has PTSD, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Rey is Trying Her Best (Star Wars), Rey is a Palpatine (Star Wars), Rey is a Skywalker (Star Wars), will add more tags as chapters go on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-26
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:42:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29146128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittensgabi12/pseuds/kittensgabi12
Summary: Rey, Finn, and Poe helped to save the galaxy, but what's next?Finn is in search of his origins but has no clues as to where to startPoe has been promoted to General of the Third Galactic Republic but is tasked with helping to create a new government; something he knows nothing about.Rey must create a new order of Jedi but doesn't know where to start or even how to complete her own training.Can the trio restore the Galaxy to a solid-state, and can they also face their own personal problems?
Relationships: Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Finn & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey, Poe Dameron & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey & Rose Tico
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Title Crawl

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I know I'm currently writing another fic but I go this idea! It's going to be a post TROS fic of course with the trio going on a bunch of adventures as they find their places in the galaxy!

_**The Galaxy is restored! After her triumph on Exegol, REY SKYWALKER must rebuild the JEDI order, as well as the rest of the galaxy. She is in search of old JEDI relics left by JEDI MASTER LUKE SKYWALKER, as well as any living JEDI.** _

_**Meanwhile, POE DAMERON is adjusting to his title as GENERAL of the Republic guard. He is currently stationed on CANTONICA, overseeing the transition to power of the New Republic’s new Board of Representatives. He is tasked with overseeing the smooth transition of power from the previous Senate.** _

_**FINN continues his JEDI training under REY. However, he is starting to question his origins before he was abducted as a child by the late FIRST ORDER. He hopes to be able to track down his home planet as well as his relatives.** _


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe asks Rey and Finn to accompany him to Cantonica, but Rey is hesitant.
> 
> Are the Jedi even needed after the war?

_Location: Ajan Kloss_

“Close your eyes, Finn, feel the force surround you.”

Finn took a deep breath. A unique lightsaber between his hands. His hands were wrapped strongly around the saber’s leather grip. The weapon was a little small for him, considering its actual owner had tinier hands. 

Digging his feet into the lush green of the forest, Finn readied his defensive stance, a form called Soresu. He brought the saber in front of him, but not igniting it just yet. As he had learned, a Jedi never ignited their weapon before they knew what the danger was. The blade’s illumination would give away his position. 

Rey was perched on the branch of a tree a few feet above him. The force made her as light as a feather and her voice flowed around the forest like the wind as to not give away her position. Her eyes were narrowed as she gripped her NN-14 blaster pistol in her left hand, aiming straight for Finn’s back. Even though she had been taught to fight melee with her saber using her right hand, she would always shoot her blaster with the left. 

She was just about to pounce when she remembered the most crucial thing she had forgotten. She hopped down and grabbed a modified A-wing helmet that was perched on a log nearby. Without even revealing her location, she put the helmet on Finn, pulled the visor down, and hopped back up into the tree.

Startled, Finn looked around for where Rey had gone.

“What was that for?” He asked, trying to position the helmet comfortably on his head without messing up his stance. The visor of the helmet had been modified so the wearer was blinded by it. 

“A Jedi uses the _Force_ to see. We have eyes, but they aren’t needed if we can properly use the Force to our advantage.” 

After the battle on Exegol, Rey made it her mission to identify the Jedi voices that had guided her to defeat her grandfather. She had known the obvious ones, her master Luke Skywalker, his father Anakin Skywalker, and Anakin’s master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Through the old archives Luke had given Leia, she was able to identify other voices including Jedi masters Yoda, Qui-Gon Jinn, Mace Windu, and many other knights who had lived in the capital during the Clone Wars.

She had talked to some of the older Resistance soldiers who had fought in the Galactic Civil War against the Empire. They had told her about the phantom Jedi Kanan Jarrus and his padawan, Ezra Bridger. Kanan had been blinded in a fight or something along those lines; the soldiers truly didn’t know what actually happened. It was told that he was never truly blinded, as the Force was on his side and helped him to see his surroundings. Rey thought that that was a very crucial skill a Jedi should have, even if they weren’t actually blind. Hence why she was teaching it to Finn now.

“Picture your surroundings,” Rey began, “feel the Force as it flows through you. You may be in the middle of the Klosslands, but right now it is just you and the Force.” 

Finn readjusted his grip on the saber. He may have been blinded, but his other sense still worked. He could feel the wind blow against him and the way his boots felt in the lush dirt. He could hear the rustle of the flora and the zymods as they scurried atop the trees. 

Trying not to make any noise, Rey raised her blaster. She had dressed Finn in an old combat jumpsuit that was used during the war against the Empire. While the armor was still quite heavy, it wasn’t as heavy as the stereotypical rebellion armor and gave Finn enough protection to withstand a few blaster shots. 

“Now, ignite your saber.” 

With a turn of the weapon’s dial, the saber burst to life, a golden blade appearing and illuminating the whole Klossland in a yellow hue.

Hand on the trigger, Rey made sure her aim was good. Attempting to hit just by Finn’s shoulder, she pushed down on the trigger and a red blaster bolt shot out. Finn heard the shot and raised the saber in an attempt to block it, but was too late and the bolt bounced off his shoulder plate He stumbled to the side.

Cursing under his breath, Finn repositioned himself and dug his boots deeper into the dirt. 

Raising the blaster again, Rey aimed for the same spot. She normally would try to catch Finn off guard by never aiming in the same spot twice, but she needed to cut him some slack. She chuckled to herself. He was easily startled.

The blaster fired, the bolt flying through the air. This time Finn was ready. Using the Force to guide him he raised the saber and just in time, deflected the blaster bolt sending it soaring into the forest. It blasted through a tree and Rey heard a zymod yelp and scurry away back into it’s burrow. 

Smiling to herself, Rey knew she was ready to up the stakes. Jumping from tree to tree with ease she continued to fire, not staying in one place for too long. Now feeling connected to the Force, Finn was able to deflect the blaster bolts more swiftly. 

After what felt like forever, Finn was out of breath. The previously light weapon now felt heavy in his hands.

Rey stopped firing. Assuming the training was done, Finn retracted the saber. He attempted to take the helmet off, until he was stopped by a strike to the back. He toppled over into the dirt, helmet falling off his head and a few feet away. Looking up, Finn saw Rey standing over him. She was smirking at him, a large stick in her hand.

“Just when you think the coast is clear, something can easily come up behind you. You have to always be aware of your surroundings, even if you feel it’s safe.” 

Rey reached out her hand and helped Finn up off the ground. Wiping the dirt off of his jumpsuit, Finn attempted to act like he didn’t just completely embarrass himself. Rey picked up the A-wing helmet and placed it under her arm. Taking the saber back from Finn, she clipped it back onto her belt. 

The walk back to the base was quiet. Rey could feel the waves of embarrassment coming off of Finn. It reminded her of herself in a way.

“Failure is how we learn, Finn.” Rey began, breaking the silence. “Nobody is just good at something right away.”

“But you’re good at everything, Rey! It was like you were _born_ to do this.” 

Rey looked at him with a raised eyebrow. What he just said couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

“I was born a _nobody_ Finn, My parents left me and I never knew why. And when I did find out the truth, it hurt even more.” 

Finn managed to find that previous silence again, his eyes falling down to his feet. Rey looked back at him. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

“But I tried to embrace that destiny. I went from being a nobody to being a somebody. Having no family to having the resistance. You, .Poe, Chewie, Rose, and everyone we’ve fought alongside. You guys are my family”

She nudged Finn with her elbow, finally seeing a smile creep onto his face. 

“We can’t choose our destiny. But it’s up to us to shape what destiny we get. To make it our own.” Rey ran her finger over her lightsaber hilt. The two crystals inside a reminder of her two great teachers.

“Geez Rey,” Finn began, “those were some wise words. You’re really falling into this ‘Jedi master’ role well.” 

Rey suppressed a blush. She hoped he was right.

The Ajan Kloss base was roaring with life. Everything was being packed up as the resistance fighters were preparing to return back to their home planets. Or what was left of their home planets. The war was finally over and the Third Republic was being established. But Rey still felt a pang of sadness. It felt selfsh, but the war; the fighting. That’s what gave her a purpose. What was she without it? She would never be a _true_ Jedi. The religion had died with the Republic all those years back. And then again with Luke and Ben as the First Order rose from the ashes of the Empire. Did she really want to go down that same path that was bound to lead to failure? Would she always be fighting something? And should the Jedi order even come back?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a burst of robotic noises as a blip of orange and white sped towards her and Finn. The droid stopped in front of the pair, happily beeping at them.

“Hello to you too, Beebee Ate.” Rey said cheerily, giving him a pat on the head. 

Poe Dameron came running up behind the droid, clearly out of breath. He was dressed in all white armor, the ensigma of the Third Republic on his shoulder. It was the normal resistance logo but with a star in the center. A new shiny blaster was holostered to his hip, and a short vibroblade was on his other. 

“There you two are!” He tried to catch his breath. 

“What are you doing here Dameron?” Rey asked, crossing her arms. “Aren’t you supposed to be on Cantonica?”

“It’s _General Dameron_ now,” He gloated, a smirk on his face. “And that’s why I’m here. I’ve been tasked with inviting you two to help oversee the preparations for the inauguration. A direct request straight from elected-Representive Tico.

Rose had been encouraged to run for Galactic Representative by everyone who fought with her in the battle of Exegol. She was the best at assisting those in need, and was told she’d be _perfect_ to represent the Otomok system. Each system had their own representative that had been directly elected by the people. 

Finn turned to Rey, a look of excitement on this face. 

“We can’t say no to that, Rey. What do you think?”

Rey hesitated. She had planned on heading back to Ach-To to collect the rest of Luke’s belongings. She had been putting it off, since the last time she was there was right after she had found out… 

Rey shut her eyes, trying to tune out the thought. Her thoughts had drowned out her surroundings. She could only hear a piercing noise as the memories of the past month fled back to her. The mission to Passaana, Kijimi, Chewie’s capture, and the truth that…

No. She tried to not remember the last part. It wasn’t a part of her. It wasn’t who she was. She was Rey Skywalker, resistance hero. She wasn’t a… 

“Rey, are you all right?”

She snapped back to where she was. Finn, Poe, and BB8 were all looking at her, a look of worry on their faces. Even on BB8’s. Rey took a deep breath. She was fine. Everything was perfect.

“I’m alright,” she began, “I just remembered I have some unfinished business back on Ach-To. You should go with Poe, Finn. I’ll meet you guys there by the time of the ceremony.”

Finn placed both his hands on her shoulders, giving them a tight squeeze.

“You know you can tell me if anything is wrong. We don’t keep secrets, Rey. You know that.”

She placed her hands on top of Finn’s and removed them slowly from her shoulders, placing them in hers.

“Everything is perfect. There are just some things I need to take care of. It’s nothing you have to worry about.” 

Finn raised his eyebrow. He wasn’t convinced.

“I’m _fine,_ Finn. I promise.”

“We’ll see you in a few days then?” 

“I wouldn’t miss it.” 

The group said their goodbyes, but not until Poe had tried to get Rey to allow him to take the _Falcon_. The answer was always no but Poe always thought it was worth a shot to keep asking. 

Rey watched them go. All her friends had found their place in the galaxy. They didn’t need a war to give them a purpose. Poe was a general now, and Finn was going to soon be recruited as a special unit for the Republic to find the surviving First Order officers. The Jedi training was just for fun. Unlike them, Rey had nothing. She may be the last Jedi, but she didn’t have a place. And were the Jedi even needed anymore? And what would happen to her if people found out her true origins… Nobody would ever trust her. 

She sighed. Some things were better kept secret.


	3. Chapter 2

“Feast your eyes on this Finn!”

Finn’s jaw dropped as Poe showed off the large Star Yacht in front of him. He knew that Poe was a general now, but this was the last thing he expected. 

“They  _ gave  _ this to you?” Finn asked, his mouth remaining open. 

“Well, they let me  _ borrow  _ it. Generals don’t necessarily need fancy ships like this. But it sure is one perk of the job! It used to belong to one of those rich ship dealers you ran into on Canto Bight but with the war over, the leftover ships were handed over to the Republic! She’s called the  _ Gauntlet _ !” 

Suddenly, as if summoned by her name, the ship’s doors opened. A boy, no older than 16, stepped out of it. He had ginger hair and pale skin that was covered in freckles. His overalls were covered in oil and he accidentally wiped some onto his forehead in an effort to remove his sweat.

“The ship’s all ready, General Dameron.” He said, giving the yacht a pat on the side. 

Poe nodded his thanks and turned to Finn.

“This is Pansa Brenko,” He started, beckoning to the boy. “He’s stationed on the  _ Gauntlet  _ as a technician.”

The boy, Pansa, reached out a gloved hand to Finn. Accepting the invitation, Finn shook it. Trying not to get annoyed as the oil spread onto his own hands, he discreetly wiped it onto his trousers.

“It’s an honor to meet you!” Pansa exclaimed. “I’ve heard so many stories about how you escaped the First Order. You’re a hero!”

Finn tried to conceal the blush forming on his cheeks by rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. Sensing his friend’s embarrassment, Poe turned to them.

“Why don’t you go grab your things, Finn. We in two clicks.”

The room Finn shared with Rey was surprisingly emptier than before. Rey seemed to be in such a hurry to get to Ahch-To, she was probably already gone.

Finn was worried about her. She was acting strange, unsure of herself. Something she never was. Or at least, she never showed it around him. 

Perched against the wall were the remaining parts of Rey’s old quarterstaff. She had used bits of it to forge her own lightsaber, but still kept the parts she hadn’t used. Finn ran his hand over it. He had so many memories of it; both good and bad. But all of them had included Rey. It felt strange not to be with her now. He hoped that she knew that whatever she was going through, he would always be there for her. They kept each other grounded and always would, no matter what happened. 

Finn changed into something more comfortable. He slipped on a pair of trousers and a plain shirt. He grabbed the new jacket he had been gifted, a blue leather one with the logo of the Third Republic on its shoulders. He slipped on a pair of boots and holstered his blaster to his leg. He made sure to gather up the rest of his belongings since he didn’t know if he’d ever come back to the base. He didn’t have that many things so they all perfectly fit in an old cloth knapsack. He slipped the bag over his shoulder. With one last long look at the staff and the room he had lived in for the past half-year, he exited.

When he arrived back into the hanger, Pansa and Poe were carrying the remaining boxes onto the  _ Gauntlet _ . Remaining belongings of those already on Cantonica, Finn assumed. The whole base would be empty in the next day or two. It truly was a strange sight to behold. 

As the final supply crates were loaded onto the ship, Finn took one last long look at the Ajan Kloss base. It was the first place that had truly felt like home to him, and now he was leaving it to start the next chapter of his life. Whatever that may be. As long as he had his friends by his side, Finn knew they could face anything.

Poe piloted the ship off of one of the few remaining landing pads. Finn watched from the window as the lush greenery he had spent so much time in getting smaller and smaller as they flew farther away. 

He tried to get comfortable on one of the plush seats that filled the common area of the ship. It was quite large for a star yacht, having multiple separate rooms for passengers, two refreshers, a kitchen, and said common area. He could get used to traveling on a ship like this. 

Finn attempted to close his eyes and get some rest, knowing that the days ahead of him would be jam-packed with activity. He situated his hands comfily behind his head and reclined. To his surprise, as he leaned back, a mechanism was activated and the seat reclined into more of a bed. Finn had been through a lot, but this was arguably one of the best things he’d ever seen. 

Right before sleep overtook him, Finn’s peace was interrupted by the sound of loud clanking coming from the below deck of the ship. As he got up to investigate the sound, smoke and oil came spilling out of a hatch as Pansa Brenko appeared, covered in the grease and muck he had been working with. Finn coughed and pushed the smoke away. It was suffocating and unlike Pansa, he didn’t have a gas mask to keep him from choking on it.

“I’m so sorry!” The young boy said, panicking. He reached for a rag from his back pocket and handed it to Finn. It was covered in as much oil as Finn was so it wouldn’t be the most efficient, but Finn appreciated the gesture nonetheless. 

“What happened down there?” 

“I was trying to rework the acceleration compensator to give the ship more speed, but I must have crimped the wrong wire.”

“Or you used too much oil.” Finn teased, trying to blot away the stain on his trousers. Pansa shyly smiled, but it was more of a reluctant one. Finn could tell that the young engineer still felt astonished by him, but he didn’t truly understand why. He was just another ex-resistance soldier. There were so many of them. It’s not like he was that different from any others-

“What was it like living on the  _ Finalizer _ ?” Pansa blurted out. That was the answer Finn had been searching for. Pansa was interested in his stormtrooper past.

“Well, It was dark. No natural sunlight. Just endless tiles and blinding lights.” He sat back down in the recliner seat and repositioned it back to its original position. “But it was all I’d ever known. I had never been anywhere else. I was taken from my family as a child. I don’t remember them and don’t even know if I even have any biological relatives left.” 

“Then how did you end up with the resistance?” Pansa asked, putting his hands on his knees as he listened. The question made Finn smile. He looked towards the cockpit.

“A hotshot pilot, a one-of-a-kind orange and white astromech droid, and a girl with a staff.” 

  * • •



Finn had assumed that at some point he must have fallen asleep since Pansa had slipped back into the belly of the ship. As the ship exited hyperspace, the view outside the ship filled with countless transport ships all flying towards Cantonica. They all ranged in different sizes and types. Finn had never seen this many ships that weren’t firing at each other before. Minus the loud sounds of the  _ Gauntlet _ ’s engines, It felt sort of peaceful. The most peaceful thing he had felt in a long time. But a small piece of him felt like things were  _ too  _ peaceful. Like something bad was going to happen at any moment. As he stood up, he tried to ignore the feeling. 

Attempting to distract himself from the thought, he went to sit beside Finn in the cockpit. BB8 beeped happily as Finn slipped inside and sat down in the seat behind Poe. The  _ Gauntlet  _ could fly with a single pilot, but there were two spare seats set behind for observers. If need be, one of the spare seats could be pushed forward to assist the main pilot, but it seemed like BB8 was doing that job quite fine on his own. 

“Haven’t seen this many ships in one place since Exegol,” Poe said acknowledging Finn’s presence but not taking his eyes away from the space in front of him.

“It feels strange,” Finn responded, “like something could happen at any moment, and we’d be helpless to it.”

Poe sighed. 

“That’s the consequence of war. You always feel on edge.” He clicked a few buttons on the central console and turned around so he was looking at Finn. Compassion for his friend shone in his eyes. “But we’re in charge of creating a future where you don’t have to always feel afraid. We’re doing something that has been attempted many times before, but this time we won’t fail like the others.” 

Finn smiled back. Poe was right. Once the inauguration celebrations began, and then the tour to the other systems, he and all his friends would be back together. Just like old times. But this time, they didn’t have to worry. They would have each other.

  * • •



After what felt like an eternity, the  _ Gauntlet  _ broke into Cantonica’s atmosphere. Finn could almost feel the heat of the desert, despite the numerous cooling systems on the ship. He really hated the heat, considering he had multiple bad experiences with multiple desert planets. 

Finn had been to Cantonica before, but he had never seen it during the day. The planet’s capital, Canto Bight, felt like a whole different city when it wasn’t dark. That was probably due to the fact that there was nobody running around high on spice in the daylight. 

Poe extended the landing gear as he flew the yacht into the makeshift spaceport. Since there were so many different-sized starships coming and going, extra docking space had to be created. 

As soon as the ship touched down, Finn saw three children running towards it. They were dressed in neat gray uniforms with a small gray cape that fell just below their shoulders. Looking out the side window in the cockpit, Finn squinted his eyes. The three children looked familiar somehow. 

The ship’s hatch flew down, billowing out the smoke like before. BB8 didn’t even wait a second before he sped down the ramp towards the three children. Poe gave Finn a confused look, wondering how the droid knew the kids in the first place. Then it hit Finn. The kids had looked familiar to him because he  _ had  _ seen them before. They had helped him and Rose free the fathiers to aid in their escape from the police. He hadn’t recognized them without the dirt that previously covered their faces. They looked like completely different children. Finn had a hunch that it was all Rose’s doing. 

As Finn and Poe descended the ramp, the kid’s faces lit up. They immediately recognized Finn and ran over to give him a hug. If he remembered correctly, the kids didn’t speak basic. Trying to remember the minimum Huttese he learned from one of Rey’s books, he tried to muster out a sentence.

_ “Soong good tah stuka u _ ” He spoke brokenly, hoping it translated to ‘it’s good to see you.’

The boy with the light brown hair looked up at him and smiled mischievously.

“It’s good to see you too.”

The kids helped Pansa with grabbing their luggage, as well as the supply crates from Ajan Kloss. They loaded them onto a cart-like-speeder where a Rodian dressed in the same uniform as them could drive it to the correct location. BB8 explained through a series of beeps that he had offered to help direct the supply crates to where they needed to be, as well as to help to sort their contents. He also made what seemed like to be a joke about keeping Pansa in line.

As the speeder drove away, Poe placed his hands on his hips and took in a deep breath.

“You smell that?” He asked, lifting his nose to the sky. 

“I don’t think so?” 

Poe chuckled and clapped Finn on the back.

“It’s the smell of  _ progress,  _ Buddy.” 

Finn took a deep breath as Poe had done and wrinkled his nose. 

“I think it just smells like fathier dung,” Finn responded, which wasn’t that far from the truth. Fathiers grazed outside the city, but their smell carried everywhere. 

Poe shrugged, acknowledging that Finn had a point. 

“Come on, I gotta show you around this place! The only you’ve seen is that Casino... and a jail cell!” 

Finn rolled his eyes at Poe’s sorry excuse for a joke.

“In my defense, It was a very nice jail cell.” 

Poe shrugged. The jail cells weren’t terrible. He grabbed Finn’s hand and the pair raced off towards the piazza

They spent the afternoon exploring the luxuries the city had to offer. It was a lot more peaceful without the looming fear of war in the back of his mind, and Finn found that he was actually enjoying himself. 

Because of his general status, Poe was able to get them into virtually anywhere in the city. They visited the numerous cafés, where Finn had stuffed his face with as many pastries as he could fit. Whenever they needed to buy something, Poe flashed a republic badge and the items were given to him free of charge. 

“That badge is like magic!” Finn exclaimed as Poe flashed it to the cashier at a gift stand who handed him two glasses of Moof juice. 

“People  _ really  _ like the promise of the Republic,” Poe said with a smile, handing Finn one of the glasses of the pink liquid. “They like the order and safety we want to provide. They don’t have to live in fear like they did with the First Order.” He held up the badge again so Finn could see the Republic emblem. “Just like the resistance, this symbol means hope.” 

Finn couldn’t argue with that. He nodded his agreement and took a sip of the Moof juice. He scrunched his face as the tang of the drink hit him. Poe let out a snort.

“Kriff! What’s in this thing?” Finn said, reaching the glass out in front of him. Poe raised his glass and downed the whole thing in one gulp. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve and looked back up at Finn. 

“Liquidy goodness.”

  * • •



The pair arrived at the Crescent Royale Casino, which had been turned into the gathering hall for the inauguration. Finn looked up to see a series of soldiers, wearing jetpacks, positioning a large Republic emblem onto the front of the Casino. 

“Looking good up there!” Poe called to them, holding two thumbs up. The soldiers gave their general a small salute of gratitude and got back to what they were doing. 

“It's hard to think that this used to be a Casino,” Finn said in astonishment, observing the many different people coming in and out of the building. 

“Just wait until you see the inside!” Again, Poe grabbed Finn’s hand and led him towards the glass doors.

As the large entrance doors opened, Finn didn’t even recognize the previous casino he had been to. The whole building was transformed into a seating hall, complete with multiple podiums and hundreds of seats. The inauguration would be streamed through the Holonet, but Finn assumed the family, as well as the respected royals from each planet, would be there in person. 

Poe led Finn through a back hallway and into a lift. A protocol droid was situated inside and pressed a button that would take them to the highest floor of the building. Finn assumed the droid recognized the republic armor Poe was wearing so it knew which floor to take them to. The inside of the lift was as gorgeous as the rest of the once casino, and Finn found himself studying the different engravings on the gold walling. 

When the doors of the lift opened, the protocol droid lifted out its arm as a notion for the pair to exit. The room they entered was almost all made out of glass windows. Finn walked over and looked out. He could see the whole city of Canto Bight, as well as out into the Sea of Cantonica. It truly was a sight to behold. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar beeps of a droid, as BB8 came rounding the corner. Behind him was soon to be Galactic Representative, Rose Tico. She was dressed in a gorgeous red dress made out of shimmersilk as well as a black corset to keep the dress form-fitting. Her dark black hair was done neatly in two top buns that sat on either side of her head. Rose squealed and ran over to Finn, arms spread out wide. She engulfed her old friend in a tight hug. Not having a choice, Finn hugged back. Rose Tico was definitely a hugger.

“It’s so good to see you, Finn!” She said as the two separated from their hug. “I trust the flight was all right?” 

Finn turned to Poe and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Nothing much can go wrong when your pilot is the best in the galaxy.” 

Poe beamed at the compliment and stood up a little taller. Rose smiled back, but then a look of confusion crossed her face. Something was missing.

“Where’s Rey?” Rose asked, tilting her head to the side. Finn sighed at the mention of the Jedi’s name. Poe saw Finn’s face. He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“She got caught up in Jedi business,” Poe responded, “but she promises to be here tomorrow for the ceremony.”   
Rose nodded, but she still seemed disappointed. Finn felt that same way; he missed Rey too. However, after a few moments, Rose’s smile was back. She turned back to Finn and grabbed his hands 

“You’re probably tired from the journey here! I’ll call a droid to help take you across the way to the hotel.” 

She whipped out a small comm and before she even finished pressing the buttons, a different protocol droid, an RA unit, arrived. 

  * • •



The hotel wasn’t too far away from the Casino, which Finn was very thankful for. His legs could use a break. Poe and BB8 had accompanied him, making sure he got to the correct place for the night. Poe had his own quarters at the police station but insisted on helping Finn get situated. 

Just like everything in Canto Bight, the hotel was extremely luxurious. As soon as they stepped in, the smell of food reached his nostrils. His stomach started to growl, and Poe got the message. 

“Might as well indulge in the free food!” He teased, walking towards the dining hall. Finn and BB8 raced after him.

The dining hall had so many different kinds of dishes that Finn didn’t know where to start. He and Poe quickly grabbed plates and started taking anything they could get their hands on. They received some looks from the other guests but tried to ignore them. Nobody dared to say anything, considering the shiny white army Poe was wearing made him stand out clearly. 

“If Rose was here she definitely would have made a comment about all this.” Poe teased, gesturing to the mess the pair had left on the table. 

“And thankfully Rey isn’t here,” Finn said, playing along with the joke. “She would have made a bigger mess than the two of us combined!” Poe chuckled as he stuffed the last piece of Nuna leg into his mouth. 

  * • •



Poe helped Finn carry his bags up to his room. The room had the largest bed he had seen in his entire life. It was triple the size of his bed in the resistance bunker, and couldn’t even compare to the size of his cot on the late  _ Finalizer.  _ Finn ran over to the windows, placing his hands on the clean glass which caused it to fog up with his touch. The lights of Canto Bight’s residential district were bright. He assumed that not many people would be sleeping tonight due to the excitement of the inauguration (as well as the party) tomorrow. 

Like others, Finn was excited about all the festivities. He hadn’t truly been to a party before and assumed Rey hadn’t either. He chuckled to himself thinking about how the Jedi would insist on trying every dish that was being served, ultimately making her sick to her stomach. Those scavenger instincts never truly did leave. 

Finn almost forgot that Poe was still standing in the doorway. He looked awkward just standing there, not like the dashing general Finn had seen earlier that day. He felt a pang of guilt for him. Finn didn’t have much to do. He spent his days helping around on Ajan Kloss as well as training with Rey on the side. Other than that, life was free for him. Poe on the other hand had been granted the rank of general almost directly after the battle of Exegol. He couldn’t  _ refuse  _ the position, and Finn doubted he even would if he had had the chance. All Poe had wanted for as long as Finn had known him was to be a leader. And now that he had it, he assumed he felt out of place. 

Finn nervously placed his hands in his coat pocket and met Poe’s eyes.

“You can stay here with me tonight…” He began shyly, “if you want.” Poe suppressed a small smile but held out his hands in a way of a disagreement. 

“I don’t want to intrude, you’ve had a long day and probably need all the rest you could get before tomorrow.” 

“There’s enough room to fit a whole battalion in here.” Finn joked, making Poe’s smile a little bigger. 

“What about BeeBee Ate? He needs to charge before tomorrow.” 

The astromech beeped a sound that translated to something about him being capable of charging himself. Finn walked over to the doorway and took both of Poe’s hands into his.

“Please stay,” He said softly, almost pleading. “For me.” 

Poe met his eyes and understood. 

“I think the troops can handle themselves for one night.” Poe convinced himself, taking his hands out of Finn’s and undoing the strap that held his white chest plate up. “I’ll call for a droid to bring up more blankets.” 

  * • •



As Finn laid in the softest bed he had ever slept in, he couldn’t fall asleep. He looked over to Poe, who was sleeping on the couch on the opposite side of the room, his snoring as loud as ever. While his breathing was loud, it was still comforting to him. He thought of Rey again. She had been so strange that morning like something was on her mind that she just didn’t have the courage to talk about. He knew not to press, Rey had been through enough trauma to last multiple lifetimes, but he couldn’t help but worry about her. He knew he would see her tomorrow, but that felt like days away. He sighed and pulled the covers over his head. He just needed sleep. Sleep would fix his current problems, and he could deal with the other ones in the morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for such a long delay, I've been really busy! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: @reyalorian


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